Sanity and Insanity
by madscientist128
Summary: The BAU has been short on cases when an escaped Sanitorium patient and three murders occur simultaneously. Is the patient behind these murders? The BAU must find the killer before it is too late.
1. Prologue

-California

The team was sitting in the office of the BAU awaiting another case. Business had been slow lately, and they could only guess that the heat had something to do with it. Hotch was going through old records, Garcia was updating her computer software, Reid and Rossi were playing Chess, Emily and JJ were talking about some TV show, and Morgan was watching TV and eating.

"Come on, guys. It looks like all the criminals have taken a vacation, so why don't we?" Morgan complained loudly.

"Uh, because that doesn't make sense," Reid answered. "Since it is impossible for us to track everyone in the world at the same time, it is very probable that a crime is being committed right now without us having any knowledge of the situation. This leads into the saying 'evil never rests,' which came from-. "

"Reid, do you have to know everything?" Rossi cut in. "Checkmate, by the way."

Spencer muttered something indistinct under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "don't know everything."

Just then, Garcia came running in.

"You guys better see this."

As they all rushed into the next room, Garcia explained the situation: "We just got a call about this the other day, but JJ and I thought that it could be put off in case something more serious came up."

They all looked at one of the monitors that showed a woman jumping over a locked gate and running towards some trees. Then the camera switched to a news reporter who began to talk about the video.

"Three murders and an escaped Sanatorium patient all in two days. It is not yet known whether or not the two are connected, but local police forces are investigating both. In the meantime, we advise you to take caution as the patient can be dangerous if approached. Please call the police if-."

Morgan turned off the screen and began to complain: "What is this supposed to be? A reenactment of the Joker's escape from the place where he was locked up? Well if I see someone running around dressed as one of those flying animals-."

"Well technically," Reid interjected, "Bats are mammals, and the name of the place the woman came from is called Blackwood Sanatorium, not Arkham Asylum."

Morgan just sighed.

"Focus, people," Hotch said. "Anyone who escapes from one of those places is not in their right mind, and can be a danger to themselves as well as others. This situation is especially bad because this woman may have already been responsible for the deaths of three people. Now listen, Reid and JJ, I want you two to go to Blackwood and find out everything you can about this person. Emily, Morgan, and I will go investigate the murder cases. Rossi and Garcia, you two stay here and compile information as we call it in. Also, you two should look through any security tapes that we can get our hands on."

After Hotch was finished talking, the team began to gather up the things they would need to carry out their respective jobs.

...

_Hi, this is my first ever Fanfic post, so constructive criticism would be very helpful. Let me know if you like it!_

_Love,_

_Me_


	2. Chapter 1

"_The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success_."-Bruce Feirstein

...

Reid and JJ arrived at Blackwood Sanatorium to find the surrounding area filled with people and police cars. They both got out and showed their badges to the nearest cop.

"Excuse, me. I'm Special Agent Jennifer Jareau and this is Special Agent Dr. Reid. We're from the FBI and would like to investigate a missing patient."

The man chuckled.

"If you want to investigate, you better wait your turn. Isn't that what we're all here for?"

JJ gave him an annoyed look and walked away, pulling Reid behind her.

"No respect for authority," JJ muttered. "Some of these small town cops only join the service for the donuts, coffee, and ability to boss people around."

Spencer just shrugged. He found it better not to cross JJ when she was angry.

A few minutes later they finally were able to get to the entrance of the Sanatorium and speak to the person in charge after showing their badges a few times.

This made Spencer to think for the billionth time how much he would have liked to have his badge back in high school. If he worked for the FBI at that time, maybe he would not have gotten picked on so much.

They walked up to the front desk and showed their badges to the receptionist.

This time Spencer spoke: "Hello, my name is Dr. Reid and this is Agent Jennifer Jareau. We're with the FBI and we're here to investigate a missing patient. Can you give us any information?"

"I can show you her room, if you would like, but I'm afraid that we don't know much about her."

"If you could, please, that would be great. Also, if we could be allowed access to her file, I'm sure that also would make things easier," JJ replied.

"Of course. Please follow me."

The receptionist got up and began to walk down a narrow corridor, then up a flight of stairs with JJ and Spencer following close behind.

"Here we are," the woman said and opened the door.

Reid first thought was about how depressing the room looked. The walls were white with a gray carpet. A small bed was pushed up against one of the walls and had a lone dresser beside it. Only one window and a shade-less lamp lit up the entire area, giving the room an even colder look. He checked everything for a clue to the patient's lifestyle, but he could not find anything. Everything was impeccably neat and clean. He walked over to the closet doors and opened them. He was greeted by a musty odor, and noticed that the large closet only contained a long skirt, a long-sleeved tee-shirt, and a long, shapeless dress. There were no shoes. He closed the doors, thinking deeply.

In the meantime, JJ was trying to gather some information from the receptionist who only kept saying that the patient kept to herself and did not enjoy contact with other people.

As Reid gave one last look around the room, JJ accepted the patient's file from the receptionist and thanked her for her time and help.

JJ and Spencer walked out of the facility discussing the patient and how she seemed to be so distant. They looked in the file and discovered that not much was in that either; however, they did find out her name: Isabel Morrison.

…...

Emily, Morgan, and Hotch were at the local Police Station having just found out the names and addresses of the three victims. They decided to try the house that once belonged to Carl Warner.

The trio walked up the steps to the house of the first victim and Emily rang the doorbell. A short, stout woman who looked to be in her early forties answered the door and peered up at the strange visitors on her porch.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Possibly," Hotch answered. "Are you Mrs. Warner?"

"Yes."

"My name is Agent Hotchner, this is Agent Morgan and Agent Prentiss. We're from the FBI, and were called in to investigate your husband's death."

"Oh my," she replied in a weak voice. "Do come in, I would like to tell you about it if it will help keep others safe."

She opened the door wider and Hotch, Emily, and Morgan walked inside. Mrs. Warner began to speak of how her husband was supposed to be coming home from work two days ago, when he never arrived.

"I thought he was just running a little late that day, but later I received a call from the police. They told me that his body had been found on the side of a highway with bullets in it."

She began to dab at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Is there anyone who you know that had held a grudge against you husband?" Morgan asked.

"I'm sorry, I cannot think of a single person. Carl was a good man and everyone seemed to get along with him well enough."

Emily then thanked her for giving them that information and told her that they would let her know as soon as a culprit had been found.

The BAU stood up to take their leave and go to the next house, but first they called Garcia and gave her the information: "Carl Warner was about 43 years old, tall, a white male. His wife says that he had no obvious enemies, and was shot to death as he was driving home from work one night," said Morgan.

"Thanks, honey, I got it," Garcia replied. "Be careful out there!"

"Oh come on, you know I'm careful."

"That's what you said right before you almost got shot twice."

"_Almost_."

"Yeah, ok, my genius gunman. See you later!"

"See ya, baby girl."

Morgan hung up the phone and got into the car where his teammates where waiting.

...

_It is still in the early stages, but I hope you like it. Reviews would be awesome!_

_Thanks,_

_Me_


	3. Chapter 2

Not very far away, a young woman ran through the woods, collecting apples in her skirt. She washed them in a stream, and then sat down to enjoy this meager meal. Her bare feet were dirty, as if she had been running for days.

…

Spencer and JJ drove to the local park, sat on a bench together, and proceeded to go through Isabel's files.

"It says here that she was admitted to Blackwood about three years ago by her parents. Prior to that, she never paid attention in school, yet managed to get good grades. She also likes to read and learned how to at a young age, but she was not allowed to take any books with her when she came here. She does not talk to people a lot. Isabel is also partially deaf, and has 'a blatant disregard for her parent's rules,'" JJ stated.

"So what we are dealing with here, is an intelligent young woman who has had a lot of knowledge at her disposal, though not recently. She doesn't listen to her parents or teachers, but this also may be due to the fact that she is partially deaf and cannot hear them. She also does not enjoy the company of other people, and avoids them if she can help it. I wonder how someone who read for about 15 years straight can suddenly get along without them," Spencer wondered aloud. "It is fascinating. I only wish I could ask her how she managed. Or if she's ever read-."

"Well, Spence, that just about sums it up. We don't need to hear all of your favorite books and storylines, just the facts. It's not very much, but it may be just enough to put a profile together. Let's call this in to Garcia and then we should go visit her house. By the way, you may not like this, but she sounds like someone I know."

"Who?"

"You…But of course you're not insane," she added hurriedly.

Reid was silent as he considered: _Schizophrenia can be genetically passed._

…

Emily, Morgan, and Hotch arrived at the house of Michael Kensington. The first thing they noticed was the overgrown yard and slightly decaying house. Emily made a face as they got out of the car and walked to the door.

Morgan knocked once, but no one answered. He knocked a couple more times before he finally got frustrated and kicked the door down. One look around told them that the house had been deserted for a couple of days.

"Well this is just great," Morgan said annoyed.

"Calm down, Morgan. The records say that this guy was single, what did you expect?" Hotch laughed.

"And just what's that supposed to mean? I'm single, and these have been the best years of my life!"

"Calm down, boys," Emily said exasperatedly. "Can we please focus on the situation at hand?"

She walked up the stairs to search through Michael's bedroom while the two guys stayed downstairs. A little while later, she came down with a box full of pictures and letters. Apparently Michael had a girlfriend who lived out of state. She called Garcia and asked her for the woman's phone number. Garcia connected her right away.

"Hello?"

"Hi, my name is Agent Emily Prentiss from the FBI, and I am calling to inform you that your boyfriend Michael Kensington has been killed."

She began to speak in a shaky voice:"Oh, yeah. I heard the news yesterday, and I've been crying ever since."

Even though she couldn't see the woman's face, Emily could imagine the tears currently welling up in her eyes.

"Yes, I'm very sorry for your loss, but we are trying to find out who killed him. Do you please tell us anything that may be helpful? Like, did he have any enemies, or was he a reckless person, you know, things like that."

"Well, I've only known him for a few months, but he seemed okay to me. He would always tell me about all the good times he and his friends had that day."

"That's a good start," Emily said. "Who were these friends of his?"

"I'm not really sure; he never said names."

"That's okay. Thank you for speaking with me."

"No problem. If you think of another question, don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks, bye."

Emily hung up the phone and turned to Morgan and Hotch. The only common thing between these murders is that the victims were both male, killed while driving, and seemed like nice people.

"Well, we shouldn't give up yet," said Hotch. "There is still one home left to investigate, and maybe that will give our UnSub a name."

They got back in the car and drove to the most recent victim's house: Dennis Morrison.


	4. Chapter 3

When JJ and Reid pulled up to Isabel's former house, they were surprised to see Hotch, Morgan, and Emily pulling up right behind them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Reid asked. "I thought we had the Sanatorium patient, who by the way has the name Isabel."

"This is the home of Dennis Morrison, the third person to be killed in the last two days," Hotch said. "Didn't you read the victims' files before you left?"

"No, because that was your job not ours." JJ made it sound like the most obvious reason in the world.

"If our UnSub really is Isabel Morrison, then this death would make sense because her parents committed her to Blackwood," Reid stated simply.

"Well there's only one way to find out."

Morgan marched up to the door and rang the bell. Not long after, a woman answered the door. She looked surprised to see so many people standing in front of her house. Spencer chuckled; this usually was the average response when the BAU showed up on someone's doorstep.

"Hello, Mrs. Morrison. My name is Agent Hotchner, these are Agents Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, and Dr. Spencer Reid. We're from the FBI, and we were called in to investigate the death of your husband and disappearance of your daughter."

"How did you know that was my daughter who ran away?"

Mrs. Morrison suddenly looked very angry and even Morgan was a little afraid of what she may do next.

"Like I said, we are from the FBI, and we would just like a little information that could possibly help us to track down your husband's killer."

"You want to know a 'little information' about that witch I used to call a daughter? Here's a fact, she was crazy, not quite right in the head. Here I am, grieving for the loss of my husband and you decide to suddenly come here bringing bad memories with you? Well, goodby Mr. _FBI Agent_."

Those last words sounded so vile, that Morgan just stared in disbelief. He just couldn't imagine someone who lost her entire family behaving so rudely.

"Well that was a complete waste of time," JJ broke the silence that started when the door closed.

"Yeah, I guess all we can do now is go back to the office and compile information," Hotch put in.

They got back in the cars and drove away. Spencer was the only one who looked back.

…

The BAU was just sitting around the office. They had been doing this for the past hour and a half and were no closer to finding out who the UnSub is. Morgan was just about to open his mouth and complain for about the 100th time, but the phone rang as if to answer his thoughts.

"Hello, FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, Agent Jennifer Jareau speaking."

"_You are no closer to finding me now than you were two years ago,_" said a raspy voice on the other side of the line.

"Hello? Who is this? Name yourself."

"_I have no name, but I do have a request. Go to the park tomorrow at 11:00 AM, or another person will soon be dead. Only two of you should come. If you fail to disobey this order, many innocent will die before you can even blink._"

"Hello? _Hello_? It's no use, the line went dead. Quick, Garcia, see if you can trace that phone call."

"Hold on, it's processing. And…there! The number belongs to a Mr. Michael Kensington."

"But that's impossible, Kensington is dead. He was shot to death in his car yesterday," Hotch exclaimed.

"At least three good things came out of this phone call."

"And what might they be, Reid?" asked Morgan.

"We know where the killer will be at 11:00 tomorrow morning, that was certainly not Isabel's voice, and we know what happened to Michael's cell phone.

"But now we have a new problem," Emily said, "Which two of us will go see him tomorrow?"

"Here's what we're going to do: Reid and JJ will go to see the UnSub. The rest of us will be driving around within a two mile radius of the meeting place. Is this clear?" asked Hotch.

Various forms of yes were heard as the team agreed with him. Everyone began to walk away to prepare for their job tomorrow, until Hotch and Reid were the only ones left.

"Uh, Hotch, can I just ask you why you picked me to face the killer?"

"Sure thing, Reid. Number one, it's because I have confidence in you. Number two, is because of your high intelligence and unique way of negotiating. But please try not to drop your gun and get yourself killed."

"That's really kind of you. I'll try to be more careful."

"And that's number three: you're probably the person that this guy expects me to send last. You look like the least-threatening person that he will probably ever meet, and that will make him feel safe. Then that's when we swoop in and take him down."

"Great. Nice to know that I make villains laugh whenever I carry a gun; maybe he'll be laughing so hard that you can catch him easier."

Reid stomped away, kind of annoyed that Hotch did not take him seriously, even though he knew that it was true about everyone who saw him. He once told Hotch that he looked like a teacher's assistant without a gun, and he knew that he looked even sillier with one. But at least this time he wouldn't be left behind, and he could look more like one of the team when they go to finally face the UnSub, guns at the ready.


	5. Chapter 4

-10:55 AM

Spencer and JJ were sitting in one of the government-issued SUVs waiting for the UnSub to appear.

-10:59 AM

Spencer and JJ got out of the car and slowly walked to the middle of the park. Their guns were hidden beneath their shirts, and they tried to act natural while scanning the area for any signs of movement.

At precisely 11:00, JJ's phone rang.

"Hello, JJ speaking."

"_Nice of you to show up. I, of course, am here too. Unfortunately we can't meet face-to-face, or the entire idea of our meeting would be for nothing. Now here's what I want you to do: you and the skinny guy must go face the slide, turn left, and walk exactly 35 paces. There, you will find a little…surprise."_

The phone went dead.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to do what he says," JJ stated. "Just stay close to me and don't let your guard down."

They walked over to the slide, hands on their guns. To the left, they could see a vague outline of an oddly shaped heap. As they walked closer, the object came more into their focus, and they could see that it was a body.

JJ broke into a run, and Reid followed close behind while pulling out his gun.

"Dead," JJ announced. She reached for her phone to call the others.

Spencer, meanwhile, noticed something rather odd. A bush to his right kept moving, plus it wasn't even the correct color to be a bush. He began to sprint towards the "bush" as he realized what was happening. The "bush" got up and ran too.

…

JJ barely noticed that Reid had left. She was hearing a strange ticking noise coming from the body. She lifted up the shirt and found a bomb strapped to his chest.

"Oh, God."

She got up as fast as she could and ran back to the SUV where she called Hotch. He answered right as the bomb exploded. Needless to say, the rest of the BAU and bomb squad showed up in record time.

…...

"So, tell me again what happened," Morgan said.

JJ sighed as she began to tell her story for the umpteenth time.

"So, you walked over to the body, and you found a bomb strapped to it."

"Yes, Morgan, I just said that." JJ was feeling a little annoyed that the UnSub managed to get away and almost blow up her and Reid with it. _Reid. Wait, where did he go? Wasn't he right behind her?_

"Uh, guys. I think we have another problem."

…

Reid was running the fastest he ever had. In his mind, he was going through a list of track stats wondering if he was beating any of them right now. He hoped that JJ was okay. After he chased the UnSub into the woods, he heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion.

_Well, at least she has the others with her. I wish Morgan or Hotch was with me right now; they would know what to do._

He was losing sight of the UnSub. Spencer put on a last burst of his energy and tackled the UnSub.

Well, that is what happened in theory. In actuality, he tripped before he got too far. Then, something dragged him behind a tree and covered his mouth. He heard gunshots ring in the distance, and Spencer was very glad that he wasn't in plain sight right then.

…

_Author's Note:  
Sorry that this is a short chapter, but the next one should be longer. I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and reviews would be much appreciated. I hope you're enjoying summer so far!_


	6. Chapter 5

Back in the park, the rest of the BAU was starting to form a search party.

"Alright," Rossi began. "There are five of us still here, plus the police and bomb squad. I say one of us stays here and the rest of us lead a group."

Hotch answered quickly: "That's a good idea. JJ, you stay here and get the media under control. Only let them report on the body and see if we can get that identified. The rest of us will each take two cops and head out. Morgan goes North, Emily goes East, Rossi is West, and I'll take the South. Call if you find anything."

They hurriedly split their forces and rushed off in their appointed directions.

…

The UnSub had almost gotten away from the when he noticed that skinny kid tailing him. He began to pick up speed and wove through the woods. He knew the kid could not catch him, and that they would never find his house. The UnSub heard a loud thud. Without thinking twice, he turned around and fired shots behind him. With a little luck, maybe he hit the kid.

…

Spencer was being pulled through the woods. He did not know what was going on, but he sure was thankful that something pulled him down. The hands let go of him when they reached a small stream. Looking around, he saw that he was in a makeshift camp. There was even a small lean-to fashioned out of leaves and rocks.

"Please, sit down."

Reid sat and wondered about his current predicament: _Where am I? This is definitely not where the UnSub lives. _Then he realized something very important. _That wasn't a man's voice._ He looked to his left and saw a figure in a dress bending over a small campfire.

"Isabel?"

She turned to look at him, and the first thing he noticed where her eyes. She could not be much younger than him, but her gray eyes held all the depth and sadness of someone who had seen too much too young.

"Yes, that is my name."

She moved into the firelight and Reid took a closer look at her. She was wearing a dark green dress that looked as if it had originally been ankle-length, but was cut off to the knee by something sharp. Her bare feet were filthy. Isabel was tall, thin, and pale and she moved so fluidly that Spencer thought about how awkward his movements were in comparison.

"What is yours?"

Spencer was startled. "Excuse me?" He replied.

"What is your name? You obviously know mine, so it is only right that I know yours."  
"Oh, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid. I work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI."

Suddenly, Isabel was very tense. "You cannot go back," she said. "I am not crazy. I do not need a doctor, and the FBI should most certainly not be hunting me down. I have committed no crimes!"

"Well, we originally here because the local police thought that you were responsible for the recent deaths of three people…one of them was your father."

"My…father." Something flashed in her eyes. Spencer could not be sure what it was, but it looked like a mixture of relief and fear. As quick as it appeared, her eyes were back to normal. "Am I…free then? After all, I just saved your life."

"Oh yeah, the UnSub-Unidentified Subject-is male and yes, thank you for helping me."

"I'm just glad to help." She turned back to the fire, and poked a stick into the flames. "Would you like some tea? I made it from plants I found. Don't worry, it's not poisonous." She gave a small chuckle.

"Yes, thank you." Reid wished that he had some coffee right now, but expecting Isabel to have it would be a little ambitious. "So, you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself out here."

"We'll, it isn't much, but it's so much better compared to the madhouse."

Spencer accepted the hollow rock filled with "tea" and took a small sip. He was surprised that it actually tasted pretty good. Isabel sat on a rock across from him and drank out of her own cup. Reid took a few more sips before asking a question that had been building up inside of him.

"Miss Morrison-."

"Isabel."

"Right, Isabel. I was just wondering, well, you seem so…so…"

"Normal?" She put in.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you seem nothing like any schizophrenic or Sanatorium patient that I've ever come across. I was just wondering: why were you at Blackwood?"


	7. Chapter 6

She looked away for a minute and began to speak: "When I was less than three years old, I learned how to read. But not just any books. No, I read things like _War and Peace,_ and_ Gone with the Wind_. I even taught myself French so I could read some of the classics in their native tongue." She gave a small smile, but it quickly vanished when she began speaking again. "I had to hide it from my parents. Once, they caught me in our library, and yelled at me. They thought I was going to color on and rip apart the books. Shortly after my third birthday, they caught me reading. They didn't believe me even when I began to recite soliloquies from the Shakespearean play I was reading. My mom thought I was being possessed."

"They caught you reading and punished you for it?"

"That was my life. Of course, the thoughts of being possessed by demons may have come from what happened next. Later that day, I was home alone with my mom and she fell down the steps. I was standing behind her when it happened, and she swears I pushed her."

"Did you?" Spencer was astounded that Isabel may have purposely hurt her mother.

"I didn't touch her. Have you ever read _Matilda_?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's your answer. Anyway, I was locked in my room for about a month after that. Years passed with barely any incidents. I was allowed to read, but I had to stay within my reading level. You can probably imagine how annoyed I was about that. When I was four, I began Kindergarten-just like every other normal child. The school I was in had a very large library. I would check out books and keep them at school so my parents wouldn't find out. Instead of paying attention to the teacher I read my books during class. I got well enough grades, so why did it matter if I didn't pay attention? I was just like any normal child until first grade. Some kid saw me reading and began to tease me. He took my book and ripped, and I got so angry that a beat him within an inch of his life using my shoe. Before the cops and my parents came, the teacher began to chide me for every miniscule error I had made that year. I almost killed her too. You're probably wondering how a five-year-old could beat up a teacher. Even I don't know how I won, but the slim chances of my victory only fueled my parents' demonic possession story."

Reid's mouth dropped to the floor. A million thoughts began whirling around his head. _Well that explains why she has no shoes. She almost killed a first grader and a teacher? I don't stand a chance in a fight against her! _He looked around for his gun just in case he needed to use it, but it was missing.

"Looking for this?" Isabel held up his gun.

Reid closed his eyes; he didn't want to see her take the shot.

She laughed and dropped the gun next to her. "Did you really think I would shoot? You're such good company. I only took it so you couldn't use it against me."

_Fair point_, Reid thought. "Okay, you can continue."

"I was sent to Alcatraz Asylum for the Criminally Insane straightaway, and-."

"Hold on, I thought you were sent to Blackwood, and Alcatraz has never been used as an Asylum or any kind of jail since March 21, 1963."  
"Not Alcatraz the prison. This was just some place in California that wanted to call itself something memorable. As for Blackwood, well, I'm getting to that. So, I was sent to Alcatraz Asylum. It would be a severe overstatement to say that I was happy there, but I tolerated it. Then about three years ago, it went up in flames along with my records. I was the only one who escaped. I always had a knack for being quiet, and I was sneaking outside to see the stars. I did that every night, but that time was different. I was already out when I heard the screams. I kept running and never looked back. Every night before I fall asleep, I can still hear those screams."

Spencer flinched and adverted his eyes. Isabel looked at him for a moment, and then threw his gun back to him.

"Why are you giving this back to me?" Spencer asked.

"It's simple," Isabel smiled. "I know you won't shoot me, at this point you are having flashbacks to your own life. I bet you can still hear the screams from the people you've shot, the victims you've found, and the screams from yourself when you know that you will never catch the criminal."

_How does she know all this? Maybe she is being possessed. _Spencer pushed aside that thought; he did not believe in demonic possession. "You're right. Everything you said, but how do you know?"

She looked at him for a moment before answering. "I've been watching how you react to my storytelling. You and I are very alike, except you had people in your life who supported you. You know the exact date that Alcatraz ceased to be a prison. Plus, you said that you were from the FBI; I can only imagine the things you see every day. I'm guessing that you were teased and beaten up as a child, probably because you were smarter than everyone else. You also specifically mentioned Schizophrenia instead of just saying mental patients. Someone you know had that or was thought to have had that disease."

"My mom."

"Ah, so I was correct?"

Spencer nodded. "Have you ever considered a career in profiling?

Isabel suddenly looked angry. "How could I have thought about any career when I've been locked up for the past 15 years?"


	8. Chapter 7

"I'm sorry, you're right." Spencer said quickly.

"It's okay, I know you didn't mean to." Isabel sat back down quietly. "Now tell me about you."

"Well, you already figured out the basics, but I do have a couple more questions for you."

"Ask away."

"Your file said that you were partially deaf, but you seem to hear fine. Also, why doesn't Blackwood know a lot about you?"

Now it was Isabel's turn to look confused. "Well, I have no idea where they got that from. If anything, I should be declared partially blind after spending almost my entire life in those dark, depressing rooms. As for your second question, my records were lost in the fire. After that, my parents took me to Blackwood where they asked no questions about the slim file that my parents threw together. My parents never wanted anything to do with me."

Reid could have sworn that he saw a tear roll down her cheek, but he blinked and she looked fine.

"I guess that just about does it, but first I do have one more question for you: Would you like to join the BAU for this case? After that, I promise that I'll try to convince my team that you don't belong in an Asylum."

Isabel smiled. "I think I'd like that very much."

…

Not very far away, Stephen Williamson walked into his house and kicked over a chair. He swore and began to break more things.

"Those damn fools! They just had to call in for backup and ruin everything! If they could've stayed put for one more minute, those two would both be dead by now!" He knocked a bookshelf to the ground. "But they won't be able to celebrate for too much longer," Stephen grumbled as he picked up his gun and walked back out the door.

…

"Reid?" Emily was following a set of footprints, when she heard noises up ahead. She began to walk faster, but refrained from calling out his name. Emily finally broke through the trees and discovered a small campsite. Reid was sitting on a large rock across from a woman Emily had never seen before. Reid immediately stood up.

"Hi, Emily. Um, I don't think you've met Isabel." He then moved closer to Emily and whispered: "Don't worry, she's not very dangerous. I told her that I'd take her back to the BAU so she can help us catch the UnSub."

Emily stared at him. "You did _what_?"

"Look, I know it's unorthodox, but she's really intelligent and I think she can help."

Emily threw her arms up in defeat. "Well then. Let's go ask Hotch."

Spencer and Isabel followed Emily back to the park where they met up with Hotch and the others. Once there, Emily stepped aside and told Spencer to explain his idea to Hotch while she introduced Isabel to the rest of the team.

Spencer told the brief version of Isabel's story and begged Hotch to let her help. Sadly, Hotch wasn't buying it.

"Sorry, Reid, but she was obviously put there for a reason."

"Yes, but based on her story, I don't think that she actually has some type of mental disorder. Rather, I think that she just had some anger management issues, and her parents failed to recognize the symptoms."

Hotch considered for a moment. "Fine. We'll test her abilities on this one case, and then reevaluate her at the end to decide what to do. But I'm placing her under your watch; since you protested so much, she is now your responsibility."

"Thank you, Sir. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure she's normal in the relative sense of the word, and should be no problem."

JJ ran up to where they were standing. "Sir, there's been another murder."


	9. Chapter 8

"Besides the man who was just blown up, Nick Harrison was just found dead off of interstate 110. The body shows signs of severe head trauma caused by bruising from something cylindrical." JJ said hurriedly.

"Are we sure this is even the same UnSub?" Reid put in.

JJ handed something to Hotch. "He left a note."

_Dear BAU, _

_Thank you for coming to the park today, and I hope you enjoyed my surprise. Forgive me, but it was necessary that I didn't show myself. You see, while I was watching from a distance, your little friend spotted me and gave chase. I couldn't be caught, so I fired shots behind me. I wonder if he escaped. Anyway, it was because of him that the next man is dead. He knew too much, as do you, so I sent him on._

The note wasn't signed.

"Well, it's definitely longer and more detailed than the phone messages. Reid, I want you analyze this. We need to get a working profile. JJ you go with him and see if anyone filed a missing persons report." Hotch handed Spencer the note, as Reid began to walk away. "And, Reid, this wasn't your fault, no matter what he says."

Reid nodded before getting into the car with JJ and Isabel and driving back to the police station.

…

Hotch, Rossi, Emily, and Morgan arrived at Nick Harrison's house about 15 minutes later. Like two of the others, he lived alone, so the team just walked into his house to investigate. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary, as he seemed to live a normal life; however, the house was pretty empty. There was minimal furniture, no pictures, and little food in the fridge. His bed looked like no one had slept in it for days.

Hotch's phone rang. "Hello?"  
"Hi, Hotch, it's JJ. No one has been reported missing here for the last three months."

"Okay, thanks. Try and help Reid with the note." He hung up.

"How can someone live like this?" Morgan stared at the empty walls. "This guy was a complete loner."

Hotch suddenly had an idea, "Morgan, what did you say?"

Morgan turned his attention to Hotch. "He was a loner?"

"That's it. Two out of three victims lived alone and so did this man. The person who was blown up hasn't been reported missing. He must live alone too." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

"Hello?"  
"JJ its Hotch. We're headed back to the station to compile a profile."  
"Okay, I'll let Reid know."

…

A half hour later, the BAU was gathered in front of California's police department.

Hotch was the first to speak. "We have had five victims within four days, all male. Four of the five lived alone and were found along highways. Three out of five were shot, one had severe head trauma, and the last had a bomb strapped to his chest. All happened within a five mile radius of Los Angeles."

Morgan continued, "There is no sexual component to these crimes. As far as we know, the UnSub wants to kill people for fear. He has attempted contact several times, which means that he wants to be recognized for his actions."

"From the way he writes, he is educated, but probably not at a college level. His language choice suggests that he is somewhere between the ages of 21 and 40. " Reid put in. "He is puts careful thinking into his decisions but is not very direct, and his want for anonymous recognition probably stems from some sort of disfiguration."

JJ went on, "I suggest that we keep the media out of this as much as possible, so as not to fuel his ego. This may draw him out, so we can track him."

"He probably lives by himself," Rossi added. "He never had any lasting relationships, even with friends and family."

Afterwards, Morgan called Garcia.

"Good afternoon, you have reached the office of supreme genius Penelope Garcia."

"Hey, Hot Stuff, the boss wants a list of all people living alone within a twenty mile radius of Los Angeles."  
"Alright, give me a minute and…there. Four thousand people."

"Can you narrow that down to men between the ages of 21-40?"

"Is the sky blue? One thousand five hundred seventy-six."

Morgan sighed. Why did there have to be so many people to chose from? "Any of them have a murder record, and out of them how many only killed men?"

"Uh, ten. I'll email you the names and addresses."

"Thanks, baby girl." Morgan hung up and walked over to where the team was still standing. "Garcia says that we have ten suspects."

Rossi jumped up. "What are we supposed to do? Knock on every person's door?"

Hotch didn't blink. "We have no choice. JJ, you stay here and answer any more press questions. Reid, Isabel, and Morgan can check the first five houses that Garcia sent. Rossi, Emily, and I will check the last five.

…

Rossi, Emily, and Hotch were having little success. The occupants of two houses weren't home, one accused them of telemarketing even after they had shown their badges, and one had apparently been arrested again due to unpaid taxes. His house looked like nobody had been in it for months and all the food in the refrigerator was moldy beyond compare. They walked to the last house hoping that the others were having better luck than them...

…

Reid, Morgan, and Isabel weren't doing very well either, but at least people on their list were home. They talked to three people who were undoubtedly not the UnSub. One guy just sat in his house all day and played video games, so Reid, naturally, gave him a lecture on healthy habits. The man didn't like that, so they left that house pretty quickly. They walked up the steps of the fourth house, expecting this one to be like the others. Morgan knocked on the door, and a young guy answered.

"We're Special Agents Derek Morgan and Dr. Reid and this is Isabel. Can we ask you a few questions, mister…?"

"Stephen. I'm kinda busy right now, so ask away before I change my mind. Come in."

Reid began to talk quickly. "We're investigating a series of murders in the past couple of days. Um, where were you yesterday and the day before?"

On Reid's right, Isabel was staring at the man with a most peculiar expression. She hesitated before stepping into the house.

"Well, I was just at home. My cat was sick, so I was taking care of her."

"Really? I'm sorry, where is she now?" Reid asked.

"Um, she died this morning."

Morgan cut in: "We're sorry for your loss. I see you have an interesting gun collection."

Stephen grinned proudly. "Yup. It was my father's. Once he died, he gave it to me."

Morgan walked over and looked at one. "Forty-two caliber automatic shot. Those are rare, aren't they?"

"Only twenty produced in each state."

Spencer put his hands in his pockets. "Well, thank you for your time, but I think we better get going. We have a lot more houses to go to."

Stephen showed them to the door. "No problem, good luck trying to find the murderer." He closed the door pretty quickly.

Isabel was still staring at the spot where Stephen's head had been.

Morgan noticed before Spencer did. "Hey, is everything alright with you?"

She shook her head. "I've seen him before. His Dad used to take him hunting all the time, and he always talked about that specific gun. Apparently, that was the one he was best at using."

Morgan went on," And you know that because…"

She was still staring at the door. "Because he was the one who I almost killed. Stephen Williamson sent me to Blackwood."

…

_Author's Note:_

_Sorry I haven't updated for a while, but I beg your forgiveness. A shoddy internet connection coupled with a bad case of writer's block is horrible. I don't recommend it. Anyway, I have some sad (or happy depending on how you look at it) news: I will be in Chicago for the next ten days, so no more updating for a while. :( I promise I'll be writing the next part in my mind, and hopefully I'll come up with some more story ideas while I'm there. So please read/review and I hope you all are having a great summer! See you in a little while!_

_Love, Me_


	10. Chapter 9

"Hotch, we found him. Stephen Jamison." Morgan called the rest of the team immediately after Isabel's revelation. On the other side of the line, Hotch agreed to come with backup ASAP. Morgan almost hung up, but Hotch continued speaking.

"Morgan, I want you be careful with Isabel. If she almost killed him once, she may want to do it again. Tell Reid to drive her back to the station." He hung up. Morgan turned to the other two and relayed Hotch's instructions. Spencer and Isabel both looked a little put out at being told to leave. Isabel was especially upset.

"I know this man; I can help!"

"I'm sorry, but Hotch thinks it would be best for you and Reid to go back to the station."

She was quiet for a moment. "I get it. It's because I'm _'crazy.'_" She put so much hate and contempt into the last word that Spencer flinched, like it was a personal insult.

"Um, Morgan, maybe we could just wait in the car. You know, not being involved, but maybe it would be best if we were still, um, here."

Morgan stared at him. "Fine, but if Hotch asks, it was all your idea and I tried to stop you."

The local police force, the rest of the BAU, and a SWAT team arrived in ten minutes flat.

Inside the house, Stephen was pacing. Coming to the conclusion that he could neither run nor hide, he did the only sensible thing left.

"I have a bomb and a room full of guns!"

Back outside, everyone looked around to see where the voice came from. They figured that it came from the UnSub. Sharpshooters surrounded the house, and everyone with access to a bulletproof vest put one on.

…Then Hotch noticed Spencer and Isabel sitting in the car. "Why aren't you at the station?"

Reid stammered out an apology. "Sir, I take full responsibility. I just thought that it would be, um, for the best, if we, uh, stayed."

Hotch stared at Reid the same way that Morgan had not too long ago. "Can I talk to you over here for a minute? Isabel, put this vest on."

Reid got out of the car and walked to a nearby tree with Hotch.

"You defied my orders."

"Yes, I know I did, but Isabel thinks that she can help and so do I."

"Reid, she has a personal connection to this case and spent the last 19 years of her life in an asylum. She is already under penalty from breaking out of one, plus, she is still charged for the attempted murder she committed as a child."

"Yes, but I really do not believe that she is crazy. She was driven over the edge by her parents, which, I know, shouldn't be an excuse, but I can tell that she's sorry for it. She's not a bad person."

Hotch paused before speaking. "Listen, Reid. I don't want to have this conversation now, so you may stay and we'll discuss this later." Spencer opened his mouth to thank Hotch but was interrupted. "Reid, I know why you're fighting for her so much, but you have to realize that we can't help everyone. I know you identify with her, but you have to look past that and do your job. Now please go wait in the car with her." He walked away leaving Spencer feeling more alone than ever.

…

"Stephen Jamison, you're under arrest for the murders of Carl Warner, Michael Kensington, and Dennis Morrison. Come out with your hands up, or we come in after you! You're surrounded!" Morgan yelled into the UnSub's house.

"I'll say it again: I have a bomb and a roomful of guns. Make any move and I'll blow you all up!"

The people outside shuffled restlessly.

"I know that Isabel Morrison is out there. Send her in, and I'll come quietly."

"Not a chance." Morgan called to him. "You come out here, then maybe we'll let you see her."

"Send her in, or the bomb detonates."

Hotch was frustrated. "It looks like we have no choice." He called into Stephen: "She can come to your door, but that's it."

Now it was Morgan's turn to look frustrated. "Hotch, what are you doing?"

"It may be the only way." He walked back to the car where Reid and Isabel were still waiting. "He's asking for you."

"Me?" She whispered to herself, "I thought he would." Louder she added "Why?"

Hotch looked a little uncomfortable. "He wants to talk to you, but we don't know why. If you agree, we'll send you in with a gun and bulletproof vest. You will only stay in the doorway."

"Well, it looks as if the best of us must sometimes eat our words." She smiled. "I'll help you. Just tell me what to do."

The team spent the next five minutes briefing her on protocol and procedures. "And whatever you do, don't surrender your gun or vest, and don't walk fully into the house. We'll be in touch with you over a small earpiece. If we tell you to run, run." Emily added.

Isabel took a breath and walked to the front door. She knocked and called inside. Onlookers could only see a shadow of Stephen as he opened the door slightly and began to speak to her.

"Isabel Morrison. It's been so long since I've seen you."

"Well, it wouldn't be as long if you didn't get me locked up."

He smiled. "Your reaction wasn't my fault, and I wasn't the one to suggest that you get locked up. Want to know why I killed your father?"

She stared at him unblinkingly. "Why?"

"Because _he_ locked you up. I would've killed your mother too, if I had gotten the chance. You see, I was only trying to make things right. I always knew that you were smart, but not crazy."

"Then why did you kill the others?"

He smiled again. "That has no simple answer. Why don't you come in, and we'll discuss it over tea?"

She glared at him. "Why would I want to share tea with you?"

"There you go with the 'whys' again. Here's a question: why are you so inquisitive?"

"Stop trying to fancy talk me. You're just as big an idiot as the day I almost killed you." She shook her head. "I _should_ have killed you that day. I knew what you would become. If that teacher hadn't stopped me-."

"If she hadn't stopped you, then this wouldn't be happening now. And those three thick-headed idiots wouldn't be dead. And oh, how I wanted them dead. Now I'll ask you again, would you like to come in and discuss why I killed them?"

It was first grade all over again. Isabel did the one thing that she could do: she began to slow down her brain, just like before, and followed him inside.

…

_Author's Note:_

_A thousand times I'm sorry for the long gap between updates. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait, but the next one should be better. I promise that there won't be a very long wait for the next chapter. Please forgive me!_

_Love, Me_


	11. Chapter 10

"What is she doing? We told her not to go inside." Emily put her face in her hands then looked at Rossi. "Now what do we do?"

A voice came through their headsets: "I'm fine, let me do this. Do not come in, yet."

"I can't believe that she went in there." Rossi shook his head. "Well, do we listen to her?"

The team discussed it for about one minute and thirty seconds, each person arguing a different reason why they should or should not listen. Only Reid was silent. He was thinking back to what she had told him in the woods.

_She said that we are very alike, which is true. If she knew what she was saying, then she would want to join the BAU for close to the same reasons as me. She wants to be somewhere where she will be appreciated, and she wants to help people. She would go into the house because she believes that it is the only way to get him out without detonating the bomb. _

"Guys. Guys!" Spencer shouted over the babble of the team's discussion. "We have to let her stay in there. Something she said in the woods, leads me to believe that she knows what she's doing, and we have to trust her. Please, just give her a few minutes."

"Are you _sure_, Reid? We can't have any mistakes." Emily gave him a pleading look.

He nodded. "I'm sure." _I have to be._

…

"I see you still have that gun collection."

"Nice, huh? I see you now have a gun of your own. Ha, that's funny. You have a gun, but you're still not allowed to wear shoes?"

"I prefer to go barefoot. And as for the gun, I won't use it, if you put yours down."

He laughed, like it was all just a big game. "Alright, just you and me." He unclipped two guns from his sides and tossed them across the room. Isabel did the same. "The vest too." She paused a moment before slowly taking it off. "Good. Now that's over, let's talk, friend to friend."

"I was never your friend."

"Oh, silly me. I forgot that your only friends are your books." He was deliberately mocking her. She didn't know about the knife hidden in his belt.

Then again, he didn't know anything about her.

"Want to know some answers?" She looked at him intently. "I'll tell you why I almost killed you, if you tell me why you killed those people."

"It's obvious why you hated me: I hurt one of your little friends." He was laughing at her now.

She laughed along. "I assure you, it's much more than that. So how about it?"

He sat back in his chair. "Alright, you win. I killed Carl because he stole my fiancé. Michael gave me this." He lifted his pant leg to reveal a wide scar almost the length of his leg. "And I couldn't get to you, so I decided that your dad was the next best thing. As for the other two, and all the people before them, well, let's just say that I had a score to settle with them. I know you're gonna ask, so I'll tell you. I want to kill every breathing person out there because they are threatening me. They're all miserable liars who poke their noses into people's personal business a little too often for my liking."

"Those weren't the only people you killed…You're a Hitman, aren't you." It wasn't a question, she had already figured out the answer.

"Bingo. But don't be shy, what do _you _have to say about me?"

"I'm different. I can read people's personalities. When you took my book, I knew that you would grow up to be a killer. That's why I beat you; I tried to protect everyone."

"And yet, you get punished. Isn't it nauseating how you try to do a good thing, and everyone hates you for it? They don't understand, do they? I do, I understand."

"I know you do." She paused and closed her eyes. "And that's why this ends today." In a flash she jumped up, and ran to where she tossed her borrowed gun. Stephen realized what she was about to do, so he ran towards her, brandishing his once concealed knife. She shot him at the same moment that he stabbed her.

Stephen's eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the ground. The SWAT team stormed in to find a dead Stephen and Isabel clutching her stomach and leaning against a wall. They carried her out and placed her on a gurney. Before she left for the Hospital, she told Hotch that Stephen confessed, that she had to kill him before everyone near the house died.

"And, Sir? Thank you for trusting me. I'm sorry if I did the wrong thing."

"You did what was necessary." Hotch called to Spencer. "Reid, take her to the Hospital."

Reid got into the Ambulance and looked at Isabel with a loss for words, but he didn't need to say anything.

"Spencer, I know that I'm not going to make it."

"Yes you are. You can't give up, we'll go to the Hospital, and they'll help you. You'll get better, and we can talk about literature and _Star Trek…_" He trailed off.

"Please…just listen, I'm running out of time. I _know_ I'm not going to make it with or without giving up. Besides, _Star Wars_ is _so_ much better than _Star Trek_." They both laughed before she began coughing. When she stopped, she continued.

"Every day that goes by, I think about how my life could have been so much better if I had just controlled myself…but I feel like I had to do something, even if it wasn't resolved then. I know that you and your team feel the same way sometimes. You can't save everyone, but you _can _do everything in your power to help make the world a better place." She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. "I don't know if you heard me tell Stephen, but I can see what people are like inside. That's why I tried to kill him back in first grade. I was trying to prevent all this. I hurt the teacher because I knew that he was a rapist. You are a good person, Spencer, and don't let that change. Your team consists of some of the best people I've ever known. Don't give up."

Her breathing was getting really shallow.

Spencer called to the driver, "Faster, please, we have to go faster!"

"I have two requests. Tell my mom that I forgive her, that I'm sorry, and I love her. Second, I want to be buried with no shoes on, and I want the soundtrack to _Les Misérables_ playing at my funeral…especially the last song."

Spencer couldn't help himself. "You know, the play is actually pretty inaccurate considering it was based on the book. They left a lot of things out and-."

"I know. I read it."

"You read it? I guess that shouldn't be surprising, it's just that, I've never met anyone else who has."

"You and I are a lot alike. I will see you again, someday. Just know that no matter how alone you feel, you are never alone."

She closed her eyes, and Spencer could tell that she was gone. _The one person who ever seemed to have understood me…_


	12. Epilogue

The BAU stayed in town for the funeral. Spencer had made sure that all of Isabel's requests were satisfied, and he told the team what she had told him. Garcia was almost in tears at the end.

_ She only wanted to do some good in the world, but no one understood her. Her last words told us to keep going. There were a thousand things more that she could have said, but she picked us. Poor Reid looks really cut up about it. From what he said, they were so alike…_

Hotch was regretting not trusting her, even though he had good reason not to.

JJ, Emily, Rossi, and Morgan were all feeling about the same. They hadn't been friends with her like Reid, and they regretted not being a little nicer to her. _She really wasn't crazy_. They were all thinking the same thing.

As he sat at the funeral, Spencer remembered the viewing the night before. He was almost afraid to step up to the casket, but something told him to go anyway. Isabel was lying there, sockless and shoeless. He smiled, remembering how much she hated shoes. She carried a rosary in one hand, as was a tradition of those who practice the Catholic Faith, and in her other hand was a very battered copy of Harry _Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. Reid remembered how she told him that _Harry Potter_ was her favorite book series while they were waiting in the car. He thought that she would be glad to be buried with it. He noticed something tucked into the book, and he pulled it out. It was a piece of paper with strange symbols on it.

_Elvish letters, _he thought. He also remembered that _The Lord of the Rings _was her other favorite book series. Thankfully, the letter was written in English, but with Elvish letters, so he could read it. He recognized the Emily Dickinson poem "There is No Frigate like a Book." He smiled to himself before tucking it back in the book…

As Spencer's mind travelled back to the present time, the minister in front of him said the Final Blessing. They began to lower the casket into the ground, and Reid felt a pang of sadness reach his heart. The Finale of _Les Misérables _played in the background.

Somewhere in his head he heard a voice. _One day we'll meet again, but until then, remember that you are never alone…_

"Come with me, where chains will never bind you. All your grief, at last, at last behind you.."

-"Finale," _Les Misérables_

The End

…

_Author's Note:_

_Well, it's finally over. I'm kind of sad to see it go even if it was kind of hard to think of ideas sometimes. I apologize that it took so long to update at times, and that it was probably really painful to read at other times. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. Please review because criticism always helps. I'm always interested to know other people's opinions! So TTFN, ta-ta for now!_

_Love, Me_


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